Field of the Invention
This disclosure is directed to a method of reducing silver(I) salts to silver nanoparticles employing carbohydrate reductants. This disclosure is also directed to a method of preparing a colloid comprising the silver nanoparticles.
Description of the Related Art
The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
Silver nanoparticles have many applications in biotechnology, medicine, catalysis, microelectronics, cosmetics, adhesives, enhanced solar cells and biochemistry (Anil-Kumar S, Abyanesh M K, Gosavi S W, Kulkarni S K, Pasricha R, Ahmed M, Khan M I (2007) Biotechnol Lett 29:439; Schultz D A (2003) Curr Opin Biotech 14:13; Eigenheer R, Castellance E R, Nakamoto M Y, Gerner K T, Lampe A M, Wheeler K E (2014) Environ Sci NANO 1:238; Sharma V K, Yngard R A, Lin Y (2009) Adv Colloid Interface Sci 145:83; and Wigginton N S, de Titta A, Piccapietra F, Dobias J, Nesatyy V J, Suter M J F, Bernier-Latmani R (2010) Environ Sci Technol 44:2163, each incorporated herein by reference in their entirety). The silver nanoparticles can be formed and stabilized by chemical and physical methods. Chemical methods, such as electrochemical techniques, chemical reduction and photochemical reduction, are most widely used (Frattini A, Pellegri N, Nicastro D, de Sanctis O (2005) Mater Chem Phys 94:148, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Silver ions are reduced to silver atoms, followed by agglomeration of the atoms into oligomeric clusters (Kapoor S, Lawless D, Kennepohl P, Meisel D, Serpone N (1994) Langmuir 10:3018, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). These clusters eventually form yellow colloidal silver nanoparticles in solution.
Karandikar et al. (European Patent No. EP2789235A1) discloses methods and compositions for antimicrobial silver compositions comprising silver nanoparticles, and methods for preparing silver nanoparticles with at least one stabilizing agent, one or more silver compounds, at least one reducing agent and a solvent. However, this reference employs reagents, such as polyacrylonitrile and diethyltoluamide (DEET), which are incompatible with biological systems.
In view of the foregoing, the objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method for producing biocompatible silver nanoparticles for applications such as biotechnology, medicine and cosmetics.